VERY IMPORTANT NOTE – PLEASE UNDERSTAND: Salvation through belief and trust in Jesus Christ is NOT dependent upon which Bible version you read. In fact, you can be saved by HEARING the Word of God, not even having read the Bible. The MOST important thing is that YOU READ HIS WORD – ANY VERSION – AND GET IT INTO YOUR HEART, BELIEVE IT AND TRUST IT! REMEMBER, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28.
If you believe in God and Jesus, you ARE the called; if you love God, ALL things work together for good. So don’t worry too much about Bible versions, rather, learn to love God, and just BELIEVE. Even though I got saved while reading an NIV Bible, and to this day, I will quote from various versions for purposes of clarity, for deep, accurate study of God’s Word, this ministry supports, uses and recommends the King James Version (KJV.) We believe that it is the perfectly preserved “Word of God,” in English, that God promised to preserve.
We read the KJV. We acknowledge that the KJV is perceived to be difficult to read, especially for new Christians. Therefore the NEW KING JAMES VERSION is a great version that is much easier to read. So for new believers, we suggest the NKJV!
On principle, however, the NKJV is copyrighted, and to do so, the editors and authors HAD to make changes. The Bible is clear, that the Word of God is “not bound”. That is why when you become a true student of His Word, you cannot ignore the very subtle, deceptive and unintentional (unintentional by the authors and editors, that is) attack on the Word of God. So when you are ready to dig deep, make sure to get a KJV as a base line reference, and a Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance (a study guide that draws from the best ancient manuscripts in the world.) Strong’s is available, online, for free. So is the Bible. Our favorite online Bible resource is Bible Gateway.
Look, don’t let this worry you. All versions are 95.5% the same. That’s pretty good considering the vast number of versions and translators. God made a promise – when you become a believer, He will send the Holy Spirit to indwell in you to guide you, comfort you and TEACH you. He is the Spirit of Truth! Trust God, Trust Jesus and Trust the Holy Spirit, and God will NOT let you be led astray!To learn more about this subject, or when you feel hungry for the mature “meat” of God’s Word, read Truth about Bible Versions with an honest, open heart, praying that the Holy Spirit will be your ONLY guide to Truth about God’s Word, in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, AMEN!
